Environment

Principles

Isobutene of fossil origin makes a one-way journey from underground (as oil) to the atmosphere (as CO₂) from its production to its consumption

Bio-sourced isobutene offers a virtuous circle: the plants from which it is made capture CO₂ and are then converted into fuels or cosmetic ingredients, which are consumed by users, releasing the CO₂ which is then recaptured by plants.

Savings of CO₂ emissions compared to the use of oil range from 50% to 80% depending on the particular feedstock plant and process used.

Schematic representation of the linear path of the fossil carbon, and the cycle observed in the case of biofuels

If this cycle was perfect, the greenhouse gas savings would be 100%. In fact , the cycle is imperfect (need for fuel for tractors, fertilizers, etc.), and the economies of greenhouse gas achieved relative to the use of oil are between 50 and 80 % depending on the plant and the process used.

What is the environmental cost of our products?

The environmental benefits of Global Bioenergies’ renewable isobutene derivatives differ between their two main fields of application, cosmetics and fuel.

Cosmetics

Consumers are increasingly interested in the ingredients used to formulate cosmetics products and want to help the environment by using as many natural products as possible.

Of course, the volumes used in cosmetics are much lower than in some other industries. But the economics of moving toward naturally sourced products is easier than in other fields, and cosmetics will be the first industry to transition from oil-based to naturally-sourced ingredients by 2030. The sector will show the way for other industries and will be a benchmark for the great movement that will mark the 21st century.

Fuels

Consumption of oil-sourced fuels has a heavy environmental impact: every kilogramme of oil burnt discharges 3 kg of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The steady rise in atmospheric CO₂ has been associated with global warming and ocean acidification.

Developed countries have come together to encourage the development of alternative solutions, such as plastic recycling chains or biofuels for road transport. Today, expectations are concentrated on air transport which has so far been unable to follow the lead of road transport for technical reasons. The emergence of a renewable aviation fuel market will depend on disruptive innovations. Global Bioenergies offers one of the few realistic scenarios, holding out the prospect of 50% to 80% cuts in CO₂ emissions compared to oil-derived fuels.

The process can produce isobutene from a diverse range of feedstocks:

Cane or beet sugar. The European sugar market was governed by quotas as from the 1960s. The end of this system in 2017 turned the market upside down and major sugar producers have stepped up production. In Europe and across the world, sugar prices have been falling since 2013.
Starch, the world’s principal agricultural commodity. Starch is the main constituent of corn, wheat and other cereals, as well as tapioca, potatoes, etc.
“Second generation” feedstocks from farming and forestry waste. This involves extracting sugars bound into the non-food parts of plants. The first factories able to do this have started operating in recent years. Global Bioenergies is coordinating or partnering five collaborative projects co-funded by the EU which seek to produce renewable isobutene, notably from wheat straw, wood residue and industrial waste.

The household and industrial waste could also be used: Global Bioenergies established in 2011 a partnership with the American company Lanzatech, which develops gas fermentation processes from household or industrial waste. The production of isobutene from these raw materials will help to avoid the use of valuable resources otherwise.

The XXI century will gradually move agriculture for energy purposes alongside the current agriculture in food distribution. Industrial biology thus represents a major development opportunity for the many countries where the agricultural potential is important. These include France and the United States, or certain countries of tropical Africa, where the introduction of this new agriculture could be a significant development vector.